1908,1964 I-84 Bulkeley Bridge over Connecticut River at Hartford, CT

(Archived Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

I was shocked to see on Google Maps that this 100+ year old bridge is part of the Interstate highway system.

The 1,075.2' (328m) long bridge has the largest span of 119.1' (36m). [BridgeHunter]

"Constructed from over 100,000 cubic yards of grey and pink granite, each 10-ton block was cut to remarkable tolerances of within 3/8ths of an inch. Its nine spans were 1192 feet [363m] long in total. Its graceful stone arches spanned up to 119 feet [36m] each, longer than any others in the state. The bridge’s foundation averaged 50 [15m] to 60 feet [18m] in depth." [GribbleNation]

Bob Dover posted

The last large-scale, stone arch highway bridge constructed in the US was the Bulkeley Bridge in Hartford, Connecticut. Almost 1,200 feet long and crossing the Connecticut River on nine arches, the bridge was completed in 1908. Although newer concrete and steel technologies were available, the designers chose a bridge constructed of pink and gray granite blocks weighing ten tons each. The choice was made for aesthetic reasons, to provide an ornate, monumental bridge entering downtown Hartford.

I have placed a few photos of the bridge, including a zoomed-in photo of the plaque, onto www.bridgespotting.com.

Street View, Aug 2011

This is the best photo I found that shows the stone construction of the bridge.

John Hseih, Jan 2019

I wonder if this is the only Interstate highway bridge that accommodates pedestrians. [Google search summary for clio]

Street View, Oct 2020

 

OnlyInYourState, 1 of several images
Construction started in 1903, and it opened in 1908 to much fanfare.

"The Bulkeley name comes from Morgan C. Bulkeley, who served as president of the bridge commission at the time. During his life, he functioned in many public service roles including Hartford Mayor, Connecticut Governor, and U.S. Senator. He also worked in the private sector as the longtime president of the Hartford-based Aetna Insurance Company. Moreover, Bulkeley became the first president of baseball’s National League. Indeed, he is the only man enshrined both in Connecticut’s Hall of Governors in Hartford and in Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. When he passed away in 1922, the town changed the name of the bridge from Hartford Bridge to Bulkeley Bridge to honor him." [clio]

It cost $3m dollars, which was a half-million more than the state capital. [GribbleNation]

That is worth $80m in 2020 dollars. [clio]

A blog that claims this is the world's largest stone arch bridge. Indeed, it is not as long as the Rockville Bridge, but it was built with more cubic yards of stone. Some comments suggest the Solkan Bridge as a competitor for size and age. But 1906 is not younger than 1908 nor is 721' (220m) longer than this bridge. But the Solkan Bridge does have a long arch span.

ConnecticutHistory, 1 of 3 photos of the construction of the foundations
This article focuses on the plight of the sand hogs.
This 1908 bridge replaced an 1818 wooden covered bridge that burned in 1895.